


Warm Like Spring

by kaihun



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, M/M, Meet-Cute, Scent Kink, Speed friending, implied soulmates, turned speed dating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:15:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27680575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaihun/pseuds/kaihun
Summary: Jongin, an atypical alpha, attends a speed friending event that takes an unexpected turn once he identifies where the smell he's been fascinated with all night is coming from.
Relationships: Kim Jongin | Kai/Oh Sehun
Comments: 11
Kudos: 123
Collections: monthlysekai's Love at First...





	Warm Like Spring

**Author's Note:**

> Love at first smell written for monthlysekai's Challenge #1
> 
> Origin of the title: "(EXO) will come to you warm like spring!" was an old quote from Jongin in 2013 so he's always been associated with this phrase, and I found it fitting because Sehun was also born in spring💕

By orientation, Jongin is an alpha, but most of the time he doesn’t feel like one. The majority of alphas live up to the typical stereotype of aggressive, narcissistic knotheads who objectify omegas, and that’s nothing like Jongin. 

Before he had presented, his family had assumed he’d turn out to be beta, or possibly even omega, due to his humble and polite disposition. The last thing he had expected was to wake up on his sixteenth birthday to find out he had popped a fucking knot. But now Jongin is twenty-six, with enough years under his belt to get a better understanding - and acceptance - of his own biology. 

He had worried that after he’d presented, the new pheromones would cause changes to his personality that would drastically affect his lifestyle, but for the most part there wasn’t much of a difference. He still didn’t instigate nor engage in pissing contests with other alphas, though they did seem to feel even more threatened by Jongin’s presence without him doing anything. His best friend Moonkyu, a beta, had explained it was probably because Jongin’s natural self-confidence combined with the fact that he minded his own business made other alphas feel inferior by default.

Also unlike other alphas, Jongin finds he isn’t particularly drawn to omegas. Everyone’s always going on about how gorgeous they are, how utterly irresistible they smell to alphas and betas alike. It’s all due to the pheromones, and their rarity - omegas only comprise about 20% of the population, which unfortunately contributes to their fetishization by everyone else.

Both of Jongin’s older sisters are omegas, so he feels like that’s a big reason behind why he grew up with the strong values he has. It’s depressing to him how treating others with respect, regardless of orientation, is such a foreign concept (to alphas especially) that it makes him so atypical.

While his family is supportive of him as a progressive alpha, he also knows their secret concerns about him fulfilling the more traditional role expected of a sole alpha of the family. Well, it’s not exactly much of a secret - his mom has been getting information on his dating life (or current lack of it) from his sisters.

At the moment, Jongin isn’t seeing anyone exclusively. He’s only been in two relationships since he presented - his first was with a female alpha in college which lasted a year, and then two years ago, he dated a male beta for a couple of months. While they were both great people and Jongin certainly didn’t regret those experiences, there just weren’t any sparks between them to warrant him getting serious enough for marriage.

He has a few more years before the big thirty milestone, but his mom is starting to show signs of anxiety, wanting him to find a mate and settle down. But as much as Jongin loves his mom and wants to quell her fears, he simply doesn’t feel the rush. Once he meets the right person, then it’ll happen naturally, right?

Speaking of which, Jongin has plans today. Moonkyu is dragging him out to some speed friending event he had found when looking for “fun” things to do this weekend. Moonkyu was another one not-so-secretly concerned about his dating life, but since Jongin had turned down all his previous invites to social events that were really singles only events as a ruse to meet someone new, he had switched tactics by assuring Jongin he just wanted to help expand their friend circle. And that, Jongin was more okay with.

“You said this was going to be stupid, but I see you dressed up,” Moonkyu comments annoyingly when they meet up in front of the venue, a dive bar to which Jongin has never been.

“What are you talking about? I’m dressed like normal,” he replies, scoffing. Alright, maybe he did clean up a bit. A navy blue dress shirt with the top three buttons undone, and his nice pair of khakis with a brown belt. He just felt like it, that’s all, because the weather was nice. And maybe he put some gel in his hair and wore his contacts. Not to impress any new friends or anything, only because he was feeling himself.

“If you say so,” Moonkyu says, giving him a knowing look, but he doesn’t press him any further. “Anyway, it’s starting soon, let’s head inside.”

They check in with the event coordinators who quickly explain the instructions - they get assigned seats across from a stranger at the table, and when the bell dings, they have three minutes to introduce themselves to their potential new friend. If they click, they’re free to exchange information so they can meet up again after the event. Another bell ding signals the three minutes are over, and then they move on to the next person, until they go through the entire group.

Sounds simple enough, but Jongin has never done any sort of speed-socializing like this in his life. It’s a little nerve wracking. Even if he wasn’t excited to attend this event at first, he does have his sense of pride about making a good first impression.

There’s about thirty or so people standing around with drinks in hand or sitting at the bar, and although he’s tempted to take the edge off, Jongin decides he needs to do this sober. Moonkyu wants to grab a beer, though, so he follows him to the bar anway. Jongin gets a whiff of something that smells absolutely _amazing_ on the way there - someone’s perfume or cologne? - but then the bar suddenly gets more crowded as more people walk in.

The event coordinators yell at everyone to get to their assigned seat since it’s starting soon, and Jongin laments that he’s separated from Moonkyu. He’s a couple of seats down, but they wave and give each other a thumbs up from where they’re sitting.

Jongin’s first partner takes a seat across from him just as the first bell rings. She’s a nice woman who looks about Jongin’s age, but Jongin struggles to find anything for them to talk about after the basic introduction, so they end up chatting about the weather. It’s pretty lame, but the bell dings again before Jongin has time to regret it too much. 

After a few more rounds, Jongin gets the hang of delivering his introduction without feeling as shy as the first time, but truthfully he hasn’t felt a connection with any of the people he’s talked to so far. At least not enough to actually want to hang out after this. Are three minutes even enough time to form a connection with anybody, platonic or not? He found most of the people here are betas - which makes sense because most alphas would only be interested in speed fucking over speed friending - but he’s talked to a few omegas so far, too.

But then that same scent from earlier invades his senses, effectively distracting him from paying attention to the next few people he talks to - he tries not to be rude about it, but it seems like they can tell he’s not exactly interested in what they have to say. When the bell rings again, Jongin then finds himself face to face with the most ethereal being he’s ever seen in his life. The man’s face is perfect. He doesn’t have a single flaw! Is he a model? God, with that face, he has to be. His eyes are a beautiful, soft brown and Jongin can’t look away, and then he gives Jongin an eye smile so incredibly charming it almost hurts.

“Hi. I’m Sehun.” 

Even his voice sounds angelic. “I’m Jongin. Nice to meet you.” Jongin is surprised his voice is even working, because he realizes the tantalizing scent that’s been driving him crazy all night is coming from Sehun. It’s hard to describe it because there’s a complexity of layers, but now that it’s hitting him in full force, he tries to focus on committing it to memory.

Sehun smells warm like spring after a long winter, like a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven, but also heady and sensual like jasmine, and somewhere in there is a hint of baby powder, or whatever it is that makes babies smell so good - all of these and more rolled into one, creating a scent so comfortingly familiar it feels like home. Which is completely insane, because they’ve barely even met.

This thought scarcely registers in Jongin’s head before Sehun scrambles over the table to sit right on his lap - forgoing the handshake Jongin had initiated, and alarming everyone around them. But Jongin can’t find it in him to give a shit about what they think, not with Sehun's ass on his lap and his delicious scent invading his senses. Jongin feels like he’s ascended, and his eyes are two seconds from rolling back into his head. What is even happening right now?

“Why do you smell so freaking _good_? A-are you...an alpha?” Sehun breathes into his neck, taking lungfuls of Jongin’s scent like it’s air.

“Alpha? Oh, uh, yeah, I am... are you-”

“An omega? Yes.” After a moment he lifts his head - despite how physically painful it looks for him to do so - so he can look Jongin in the eyes. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry for uh, molesting you. I’ve never reacted to an alpha like this before, I swear - I don't know what came over me.” He says this, but doesn’t make any effort to get out of Jongin’s lap.

“No, um, you’re fine. Like, really fine,” Jongin says, laughing giddily. He sounds high or something. "I've never reacted so strongly like this before, either." 

The bell rings, signaling the three minutes are over, and it snaps them both back to the reality of their situation. Everyone’s staring at the two of them, and Jongin spots Moonkyu cracking up by himself. Glad he finds this entertaining.

“Hey, do you wanna get out of here?” Jongin asks as he helps Sehun stand back up. “With me?” he adds belatedly, then feels silly.

“I’d love to. They’re about to kick us out, anyway,” Sehun says, looking a little too amused about having caused a scene.

“As, um, friends, or-?” Jongin has to err on the side of caution here - after all, this was supposed to be an event to meet friends, not to score a date.

“If you want to!” Sehun replies, looking thoughtful. “But if you want to go on a date date, I’d love that, too, just saying...”

Jongin grins. “A date date it is. I want to get to know you first, and do this properly.”

“You mean court me?” Sehun giggles into his palm. “And they say chivalry is dead. But you aren't a typical alpha, are you?”

"Something tells me you aren't a typical omega yourself," Jongin says, referring to Sehun climbing the table.

"You're right," Sehun replies, smiling. "I can be impulsive, I don't like being told what to do, and I'm brutally honest - to name a few things. Now that you know, are you still up for a date?"

"Of course," Jongin replies quickly. "Those sound like perfectly good qualities to me." 

Right when he's convinced Sehun couldn't smell any better, his scent bursts with the floral tones of happiness, and all Jongin can think of is how much he'd love to make sure Sehun always smells as wonderful as this.

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote this before Mmmh MV came out and let me tell you I got way too excited when the lyrics were about jasmine and a familiar scent omg


End file.
